Those links are for specific quantities of cut tape. If Neal is asking about sourcing for the full project, Digikey offers better pricing for reels in increments of 800 emitters, for at least $0.41 USD cheaper per emitter than that link. That adds up quickly for a project I’m sure will be using several thousand emitters.

The inner tube is only there there to pass the tail switch signal (normally open, signal is connect to ground) from the tail to the driver.

If it gets displaced, say at the driver end, it gets grounded. No hazard, (unless locked onto turbo) except it stops working.

Or perhaps open-circuit. Same difference.

Firmware could detect such a fault condition (grounded) and do the necessary. E.g. shut down.

Every time the cell is replaced/recharged this connection is re-made. So it has to be ultimately reliable. And the arrangement sturdy (not thin-walled pieces relying on delicate tolerances, particularly pressing against a few microns of plating on a driver PCB).

That’s as I understand it. I could be completely wrong, and look forward to seeing how it turns out. This is certainly not an obvious way to make such a thing. My interest is just to see how far this goes, and how well it eventually works.

If delivered successfully it will definitely be unique, and well worth the “investment”.

Piston Drive, which I think was actually invented by McGizmo, is a different design. PD flashlights don’t have a switch in the tail at all, just the end of a piston that transmits mechanical force to a switch in the head.

The FW3A isn’t the first to use nested tubes to transmit an e-switch signal from the tail to the driver though. Several dual-tailswitch designs from Nitecore, Fenix, and Klarus do this. The Folomov 18650S also uses a tail e-switch, but I’m not sure if it has nested tubes or uses a different technique.

I find the FW3A compelling because it puts together a combination of features in a way that I expect to work really well for how I use an everyday carry flashlight, and does so at a very low price. It doesn’t need to be the first light with some feature in order to do that.

I find the FW3A compelling because it puts together a combination of features in a way that I expect to work really well for how I use an everyday carry flashlight, and does so at a very low price. It doesn’t need to be the first light with some feature in order to do that.

Exactly. That’s the point of the FW3A. It may not do anything particularly new, but it puts together a lot of good older ideas into one nice package. It’s a well-rounded sort of design for practical use. That’s why I carry it around on a daily basis even though I have a hundred other lights to choose from.

Hello, decided to finally make an account, I’ve been watching this project for some time now, and I wouldn’t want to be too late to the interest list. So, put me down for one, and big thanks to everyone involved!

Nah never too late mate, this is the never ending project with zero communication and even less progress

Well, occasionally coming into this thread can be tricky as normally there are some few updates, here and there, and people may lose them – if they do not read the thread correctly – in the middle of the conversation and off-topic chat!

Fritz replied will finished the update files soon
so we will start to produce FW3A late of this month

and anyone have the source of the LH351D LED in 4000K 90CRI?

But I must confess, lionheart_2281, many of your posts here are not encouraging or inspiring those updates…nor the waiting time!… As others form other members here in this thread as well…
This will not help the mood of the people that – like you – want this flashlight !!

It has been said before: this is not an enterprise, people will do it when they can, and as The Miller used to “say” “It’s done when it’s done” !!!

lionheart_2281 wrote:

Nah never too late mate, this is the never ending project with zero communication and even less progress

lionheart_2281 wrote:

Should be done by xmas next year, but at this rate…count on xmas 2020

lionheart_2281 wrote:

Can’t expect too much, it’s only been 17 months

lionheart_2281 wrote:

nick779 wrote:

Man, hard to believe its been 5 months since I last checked in on this thread. Im still stoked for this light. I love my pflexpro triple, but this is going to be a perfect little light the way its looking.

I understand getting antsy, Ive always been a bit of an instant gratification kind of person. Even for ym overseas orders ill tend to bundle a few and eat the cost of express shipping. Beats waiting 2 months to find out something is lost and being back to square one.

In regards to this project though, its definitely worth waiting for imo. Its innovative, its small, its still relevant in the market today (features, FW, build, size, emitters, power), and its a BLF project.

Hi, I’m new in the forum. I have been reading it for some time and I have decided to join finally.
I would like to be on the list for one. (This is worrying, I just ordered a D4 and I’m already wanting more)

Hi, I’m new in the forum. I have been reading it for some time and I have decided to join finally.
I would like to be on the list for one. (This is worrying, I just ordered a D4 and I’m already wanting more)

Welcome to BLF! ..
Have fun & get used to a much thinner wallet……. ..

—

You never know how a horse will pull until you hook him up to a heavy load./"Bear" Bryant

No kidding. The FW3A will arrive before the landing on Mars. Unless the latter is done by Elon Musk e.a.
Red tape at NASA is so time consuming that when the construction of the craft is competed they get a warning from Bill Gates that the installed OS is no longer supported.